1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of lighting systems, and more particularly to a 1- or multi-array of lights with each row having different intensities, different angles, different secondary optics, and different diffusion films to scatter the light towards an object—typically an art work—to achieve substantially uniform lighting of the object.
2. Background Art
Paintings, sculptures and other art works are typically illuminated by one or more lights directed generally towards the center of the art work. This causes a hot spot of intense light at that area, and increasingly dimmer lighting towards the periphery of the work. This greatly detracts from the aesthetic perception and enjoyment of the art work.
Some adjustable multi-light arrays improve this deficiency, but they still create two or more hot spots, leaving non-uniform lighting of the art work. Lights are typically placed immediately above the art work, or in the ceiling, leaving the top portion of the work significantly brighter than the bottom portion due to attenuation and disbursement of the light over a greater distance towards the bottom, along with greater intensity in the center of the horizontal axis than at the sides.
One device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,070,293 B2 shows a 2- to 3-row overhead array of lights spanning the width of the art work in which each row of lights has a different intensity and angle towards the art work. One row is aimed towards the top portion of the art work having lower intensity than the row (or rows) angled towards the lower portion or portions of the art work. One embodiment shows the use of optical attenuators to provide a relatively even gradient of light from the top to the bottom of the art work, away from the light feature.
Attenuators, however, are inefficient as they block a portion of the light, requiring greater intensity of light. They work by either absorbing the light, or reflecting it back towards the light source, where it is dissipated. Graduated attenuators, such as a Benday screen, are suggested in the '293 patent to block a greater amount of light that is aimed at the top-most portion of the art work, and less light as the angle moves down the art work. Benday screens are comprised of opaque dots on a transparent film, with a greater density of dots positioned on the screen in the areas greater attenuation is desired. In practice, such attenuators have produced a somewhat uniform lighting system, but fail short of producing a uniform light.
It would be beneficial to have a system for directing and disbursing the light without the use of attenuators such that the art work is uniformly lit, and one that is inexpensive to make. It would be further beneficial to have a small, unobtrusive fixture to illuminate the art work.